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Radical Rxc

At the Geneva Motor Show this year, Radical will be showcasing an upgraded version of its RXC coupe with 530 horsepower squeezed out of a 3.5-liter V6 and an eye fixed squarely on beating its own Nürburgring lap record.

Meet the Radical RXC Spyder. It's like the RXC coupe, only more visceral - or like the Nürburgring record-holding SR8 LM, but even more so. And it's just concluded an intensive week-long shakedown at the Ascari Race Resort in Spain.

In just a relatively short period of time, Radical Sportscars has proven to be a company true to its name. It only completed its first car in 1997 but has become among the leaders in the world of dedicated track day specials since then. These days it's even dipping its toe into the world of road models with the RXC, which stretches the definition of a vehicle for the street nearly to the breaking point. In it's latest video, Xcar Films sits down with the company's managing director Phil Abbot to

Radical has been building fantastic open-cockpit racers and roadcars for years, for the track day enthusiast who wants a vehicle that looks like it could show up for a start at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The company's latest creation is the RXC, and while this coupe looks like a prototype racer, it's road legal in the UK and in some parts of the US. When testing a car this, um, radical, the first thought is likely to get it to the track for some big slides and wide open acceleration, but XCar Film

If you're looking for the ultimate racecar for the road, look no further than the Radical RXC. The trouble is that while the RXC is nominally capable of driving on public roads, like most Radicals it wasn't certified for the United States. But now it has been.

There aren't many companies out there building Le Mans-style prototype racers you can buy. Dauer once offered road-going Porsche 962 models, but it folded over two decades ago. Caterham is still making the SP/300.R despite the collapse of its partner Lola. The recently-revived ATS will gladly hook you up with its Sport 1000 track toy. But the king of them all is Radical.

There are a multitude of reasons to watch this video, not least of which is the car featured in it. It's a Radical RXC, a street-legal racer we last saw in September at the Frankfurt Motor Show. Powered by a 380-horsepower, 3.7-liter Ford V6 (which sounds nothing like it does in the Mustang), the Radical is about as extreme as a car can get while still being drivable on public roads.

It's been well over a year since we first heard about the Radical RXC, a street-legal, Le Mans-style prototype put together by a brand that's renowned for its nimble track-day weapons. We've reported on the RXC intermittently, although that's hardly down to a lack of desire for the new car. With a red example arriving at the Frankfurt Motor Show, it seemed only natural to pop over and have a look.

The good people at XCAR were the first to get a ride in the new Radical RXC on public streets, and they were kind enough to bring along a few cameras to film the experience. As you may already know, Radical has made a name for itself by building wicked track cars powered by lightweight and powerful motorcycle engines. Now the company is out to give the KTM X-Bow and Ariel Atom something to sweat over with a new line of street-legal track heathens. Powered by a range of engines that include the F

Radical is poised to release a new model called the RXC. A two-seat, closed-roof sports car, the machine should bow with a Ford 3.7-liter V6 with around 380 horsepower on hand and a curb weight of under 2,000 pounds. Designers borrowed from the company's experience at the 24 Hours of Le Mans to create a vehicle that looks more like an LMP1 entry than something road-legal. The body generates an impressive 1,984 pounds of down force and uses both composite and carbon fiber construction. Underneath

If you've ever had occasion to see a Radical in person – or for that matter, in photos – you likely couldn't avoid thinking it looked like a miniature version of a Le Mans Prototype. The ground-hugging ride height, the aerodynamically-optimized bodywork, the open cockpit... but wait a second, don't most LMPs these days have closed cockpits? Why yes, yes they do.